Nursing Careers: The Complete Guide

So, you want to become a nurse, do you? Before you jump the gun and enroll in a nursing course at your local community college, there are some important things about this career path that you need to know. There are three general types of nurses: Certified Nurse Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses. All require different levels of education and all provide substantially different annual salaries. The salary ranges for beginners (fresh out of school) in these nursing fields range from $25,000 to 46,000. I've compiled verifiable information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and one of the most trusted salary search engines, Payscale.com to give you a better insight to a career in nursing.

Certified Nurse Assistant

The main duty of a Certified Nurse Assistant is to perform general patient care. Certified Nurse Assistants perform patient care that does not require a nursing license to carry out. General Certified Nurse Assistant duties are changing dressings, taking vital signs, assisting patients when walking and leaving the room, clean patient rooms and feeding patients. Certified Nurse Assistants are also responsible for assisting Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses in routine patient care. The education required in order to become a Certified Nurse Assistant is completion of a two to three month training program and successful completion a certification test. These programs are often offered at vocational schools and community colleges. The average annual salary of a Certified Nurse Assistant with less than one year of experience is approximately $25,000.

Licensed Practical Nurse

Depending on which state of the US you are located, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) may also be referred to as Licensed Vocational Nurses in your area; this is a common practice in Texas. The main duty of a Licensed Practical Nurse is to nurse patients back to health. Depending on the size of the hospital or medical center, a Licensed Practical Nurse may be responsible for more than 25 patients in one shift. The education required in order to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is successful completion of a one-year Licensed Practical Nursing Course and a test to become licensed as a nurse. Licensed Practical Nursing courses are typically hosted at vocational schools and community colleges. According to Payscale.com, The average annual salary of a Licensed Practical Nurse with less than one year of experience is approximately $33,000.

Registered Nurse

Registered Nurses (RNs) hold seniority over Licensed Practical Nurses. Registered Nurses are required to oversee hospital and medical center staff and assist them in routine medical tasks. Registered Nurses answer to doctors and are responsible for carrying out their exact orders on patient care and while administering medications. The minimum education required in order to become a Registered Nurse is an Associate's degree in Nursing; a licensing test is also required. However, Registered Nurses who go on to receive their Bachelor's degree in Nursing are offered higher pay and are hired onto higher ranked Registered Nursing positions. The average annual salary of a Registered Nurse with less than one year of experience is approximately $46,000.

Bureau of Labor Statistics
Payscale.com